Tenth edition of the GO Malta Football Awards launched

The tenth edition of the GO Malta Football Awards was launched on Thursday during a press conference at the Petite Hall within the MFCC, Ta’ Qali.

It all began in July 2002 when sports journalist Sandro Micallef thought of an event where footballers get rewarded. Events Services never looked back and in a month’s time these awards will be celebrating the 10th edition of this event.

Sandro Micallef, Chairperson of the Organising Committee of these Football Awards said that in the past nine years that these awards have been organised, the Malta Football Awards have progressed from humble beginnings to being a much-anticipated yearly event with media coverage and popular interest. Mr. Micallef thanked the Malta Football Association for endorsing this event once again and thanked all the supporting sponsors for their continuous support which is essential in the organisation of such events.

He went on to give a warm welcome to the event’s main title sponsor – GO plc who will also broadcast the event on GO Sports after the live transmission on the National Station TVM.

The Chairman of the Organising Committee added that “It will be an extraordinary evening that is not just about receiving a trophy. It will be an evening about everyone involved in local football coming together to celebrate their hard work.” Mr. Micallef also confirmed that the Special Recognition Award will again be included amongst the established list of awards of this event. This prestigious award will honour a local football personality who has distinguished himself over the past years in the local scene.

Additionally, the Award for The Best Referee will be re-introduced in the line up of these awards after such award was only awarded in the first editions before the MFA had specifically asked the organisers to discontinue the competition within this category. After negotiations with the new MFA administration, it was agreed that this award can be re-introduced in this annual event as from this year, with the condition that votes for this category are only accepted from journalists.

A new category to be introduced this year will be the Best Goalkeeper’s Save of the Season which along the category of the Best Goal of the Season will be voted for solely by the general public via Premium Televoting Calls. The below saves and goals have been selected by the Organising Committee who reserves the right to add or change should above average goals and saves be recorded till the end of the season.

Best Goal of the Season 2010/11

5230 2021: Edmund Agius – Valletta FC vs ?amrun S.
5230 2022: Dyson Falzon – ?amrun S. vs Valletta FC
5230 2023: Ryan Fenech – Valletta FC vs Sliema W.
5230 2024: Cleavon Frendo – Qormi FC vs Hibernians FC
5230 2025: Michael Galea – Birkirkara FC vs Sliema W. (U*Bet FA Trophy Q/F)
5230 2026: Sergio Pacheco de Oliveira – Tarxien R. vs Floriana

Best Save of the Season 2020/11

5230 2031: Simon Agius – Vittoriosa S. Vs Birkirkara FC
5230 2032: Omar Borg – ?amrun S. vs Vittoriosa S.
5230 2033: David Cassar – Tarxien R. vs Floriana FC
5230 2034: Matthew Farrugia – Qormi FC vs Marsaxlokk
5230 2035: Andrew Hogg – Valletta vs Floriana
5230 2036: Lotfi Saidi – Floriana FC vs Sliema

The event will be presented by sports journalists and presenters Catherine Micallef, Rodney Vassallo and Simon Farrugia on Wednesday 25th May, 2011 from the MFCC in Ta’ Qali. Another innovation is that upon general request in the past years, football supporters and the public can reserve a seat for this event by buying tickets online on www.biljetti.com.

During the press conference, it was also explained that the official voting documents to all those who are entitled to vote have already been sent out. The people entitled to vote are those involved in the local game, namely the presidents, coaches, and captains of the ten BOV Premier League clubs and the journalists who followed the BOV Premier League 2010/2011. Voting for the best players in the Futsal League, Women’s League, First, Second and Third Division and the GFA First Division League will be reserved for officials, coaches, captains from the respective clubs, and sports correspondents who follow these leagues.

The awards in the Tenth Edition of the GO Malta Football Awards will be:

1. Best Goalkeeper
2. Best Defender
3. Best Midfielder
4. Best Striker
5. Most Promising Youngster
6. Best Coach
7. Best Foreign Player
8. Best Maltese Player
9. Best Goal of the Season
10. Best Save of the Season
11. Best Futsal Player First Division
12. Best GFA Player First Division
13. Best First Division Player
14. Best Second Division Player
15. Best Third Division Player
16. Best Premier Veteran Player (aged 36 and over)
17. Best Women’s League Player First Division
18. Best Referee
19. Special Career Award/s

Mr. Alan Cutajar, director of Events Services thanked the local media and this year’s sponsors, namely GO plc, MFCC, CATERMAX, STRAND ELECTRONICS, POWERADE, BOV, EURES, HAMILTON TRAVEL, VASCAS, MSV LIFE, JESPERS, SPORTS EXPERIENCE, ALFSONS & NEXOS all of whom were crucial in making this Tenth Edition possible.

Godwin Caruana from MFCC, GO Media/PR and Corporate Communication Manager Vanessa Macdonald, Catermax Chief Executive Officer Edward D’Alessandro and MFA vice-president Alex Manfre also addressed the press conference.

More details and statistics about previous editions of the Malta Football Awards are available at www.maltafootball.com/awards and on The Malta Football Awards’ Facebook page.